NNP

I have one of the 10 copies of the book described in George Fuld's article. It is a 1950's photocopy of the ANS original, hardbound in red, 10 1/4 high by 8 3/8 wide. I understand that only 10 copies were made. The title is in gold lettering on the front cover.

On the very last page facing the back cover, there is a rubber stamp inking that says:

In Charles Davis' book American Numismatic Literature he states that this book was annotated in red ink by Al Hoch's wife in her hospital bed, after giving birth to their last child. She had taken the notes that were the work of Walter Breen, Bob Vlack and Kenneth Bressett and annotated all ten copies in red ink! What a great wife!!!

I was visiting Bob Vlack and his wife in Connecticut a few years ago. Before my departure back to New Jersey, Bob placed this book in my hands and said, "There are many people that would like to get their hands on this book, but I want you to have it." He didn't tell me why it was significant and if I was thinking, I would have asked him to autograph it. All there is to identify it as his copy is an old return address label stuck to the inside front cover that gives his address on Donna St in West Peabody, MA (no zip code).

With respect to the annotations, the section on Connecticut coppers is heavily annotated with notes in red. Nothing in the Massachusetts copper section is annotated. The Vermont copper section has notes on updating rarities, and the first appearance of a new numbering system for Vermonts.

I sent this book to a friend in California doing Connecticut copper research and to another friend that wrote "the book" on Vermont coppers. This way if there is anything of importance in the annotations, it will get to the hobby in future publications. A library shouldn't be just something pretty to look at.

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see: AL HOCH'S FIRST PUBLISHING VENTURE: MILLER ON CONNECTICUT (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v13n51a10.html)